Horrors of Poveglia Island

Poveglia Island near Venice, Italy may seem like a beautiful attraction perfect for tourism with breath taking scenic views, however a very dark illuminating history is layered within it's grounds making it known as a notorious island of death.

In 1348 the island was used as a quarantine zone when a mass plague broke out. 1 out of every 3 citizens died, two out of 3 thirds of the population of Venice died here, and being sent to the island was basically signing a death sentence. Imagine showing symptoms and out of fear being sent to an island full of disease, or even be infected and sent off to an island where no one has been known to come back from. It is believed that most of the islands surface is made up of human remains. In 1379 the island came under attack by the Genoan fleet forcing residents to evacuate to Giudecca. The attacks of the fleets where due to the claiming of territory of the Mediterranean sea resulting in four wars between Venice and the attacking fleets. In 1630 the island was once again a quarantine zone when the black plague broke out once again terrorizing the land of Poveglia with death. Due to the constant building body count many bodies would be burned and turned into ashes spreading across the island.

In 1805 under the rule of Napoleon Bonaparte a building known as the bell tower was transformed into a lighthouse called Lazaretto. Lazaretto is believed to be the burial site of the famous painter Giogione. Giogione also known as Giorgio da Castelfranco was a famous painter of poetic views who died in his late thirties, the burial place of his death is mysterious with the only traces leading to the grounds of Poveglia island. The lighthouse closed in 1814 due to heightening beliefs of supernatural occurrences on the island. In the late 1800's a insane asylum was constructed on the island where doctors where believed to conduct inhuman experiments on patients. One legend of the insane asylum is of a sadistic doctor. According to legend he was forced by spirits to jump off a clock tower, where upon reaching the ground a fog formed and suffocated him leading to his demise. In the 1900's the asylum was transformed into a retirement home. It closed it's doors officially in 1968.

The island it's self is full of ruins and has became a popular paranormal investigations site. We have to wonder why this island continues to attempt to recreate only to end in failure, with it's dark background is it possible that so much pain and death has created it's own unique form of darkness over the island? Is it possible that the continued stories of ghost spotted on the island are true? The island is believed to be the base of over 160,000 deaths, and during plagues it is believed to have reached 500 deaths per day with remains of men, women, and children still remaining scattered across the island.

Many famous documentary shows like ghost adventures still travel to the island in attempts to get a quick peep at the believed paranormal activity. Even if there is no paranormal activity however, none of us can deny that this place is a home of pain and suffering. It is believed that due to the mass body pits and ashes scattered across the island that an average of 50% of the soil is made up of human remains making the soil rotten and unable to bear fruits. It has been made illegal to now visit the island, but if you ever somehow manage to bypass this law please remember to be respectful to this land where so many have died.